End grooving apparatus for hollow tile



Feb 18, 1941. J D, H P N 2,232,283

END GROOVING APPARATUS FOR HOLLOW TILE v FilediMarch 28, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Febo 1941- J. D. THOMPSON END GRQOVING APPARATUS FOR HOLLOW TILE Filed March 28, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I k/A MES D. 7ilompso/v Wfifz-ZE ATTORNEY 1941- J. D. THOMPSON END GROOVING APPARATUS FOR HOLLOW TILE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 28, 1959 ATTORNEY INVENTOR JAMS 0. 72oM/ so/v Feb. 18, 1941.

J. D. THOMPSON END enoovms APPARATUS FOR HOLLOW TILE Filed March 28, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JA MES 072001. 50

BM f Mann ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1941, Y J, p p N 2,232,283

' sub snoovme APPARATUS FOR HOLLOW TILE Fil'edllarch 28, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORN EY Feb. 18, 1941. J. D.- THOMPSON 2,232,283

END GROOVING APPARATUS FOR HOLLOW TILE Filed March 28, 1939 8 SheetsSheet 6 INVENTOR k/A MES D. 7110/4/25 o N ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1941. A .1. D. THOMPSON-- 2,232,283

END GROOVING APPARATUS FOR HOLLOW TILE Filed March 28, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 d g h I Q Q. g k, Q Q Q lNVEgTgR A K? MES HOMPSON Q Q L al ATTORNEY F 1 4 I J. 13; moms 2,232,283

Y sin anoovme APPARATUS non aonwwi-rms Filed [larch 2e, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORNEY fQE'i X01 Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE James D. Thompson, Eureka, Calif. Application March 28, 1939, Serial No. 264,674

11 Claims.

compressible, the material displaced by impressing the groove must go to the inside ;of the tile, because if it goes out the tile will not lay. Press- 1 ing it all inside without my new provision for supporting the inside surface results in spalling and cracking of the green tile, with a poor fin ished product, after burning.

The. object of the present invention is a machine for impressing the desirable mortar groove in the end walls of a hollow ceramic tile without distorting the outside dimensions out of the straight lines given to them by the tile machine, in 'point of fact. improvingand correcting any inequalities due to swellng as when the clay is a trifle damp.

I have more or less diagrammatically illustrated two forms of the invention which will satisfactorilycarry out the objects stated, but quite obviously either form can be varied widely without departing from the principles of the invention which are to be ascertained by the scope of the claims which I have made atthe conclusion of this specification.

Drawings of both forms, as above noted, accompany and form a part of this disclosure, in which Figs. I to VIII inclusive are of what I have termed the cam type and Figs. IX to XIII inclusive illustrate the wheel type, the latter figures being further setout from the first type by using reference numerals from I 00. While the wheel type is included in the generic claims, it is not specifically claimed in this application.

Fig. I is a side elevation of the feed or intake end of my new cam type indenting machine that will be useful in showing its principle and mode of operation; I

Fig. II is the outgoing or discharge end of the structure shown in Fig. I, the right hand detail in this figure being the same one shown at the left of Fig. I; p v

Fig. III is a top or plan view of a portion of Fig. I to an increased scale;

Fig. IV is a plan view of a portion of Fig. II;

V Fig. V is a section on line VV of Fi III Fig. VI is a section on line VI-VI of Fig. IV;

Fig. VII is a section on line VII--VII of Fig. V;

Fig. VIII is a section showing the end of an indented green tile with the indenting die just as the operation has been completed.

Figures illustrating the wheel type are as follows:

Fig. IX is a plan view of the suitable machine for accomplishingthe purposes of this invention, made proportionately a bit shorter than will be expedient, to accommodate the view to the sheet;

Fig. X is an elevation in section on the line X-X of Fig. IX, with some parts omitted;

Fig. XI is a section taken on the line XI-XI of Fig. X;

Fig. XII is an enlarged end view of one of the tile holding boxes hereinafter described in detail; and

' Fig. XIII is a section. on the line XIIIXIII of Fig. XII with a part broken out to accommodate the view to the space.

Proceeding to describe the machine of the first or cam type, in detail; in the drawings it is deemed expedient to follow the progress of a single tile through the machine since all will follow the same course.

In Fig. I, at the right hand top end, a tile box I is shown open at A with a green tile Tl that has just been manually placed in position,

its nearest end being flush with the end of the tile box. At the next position, T2, the lid 2 of the box has been closed and latched by the latch 3, see Fig. VII. T with a subscript is used to indicate the same tile in succeeding positions. As noted, the tile T is placed with the near and flush with its corresponding end of the tile box I, but to get just the right length, the tile from the mouldingmachi-ne where it is made, not shown herein, is originally a little long and as the tile box I progresses the long end is cut ofi by the piano wire-W as shown also in 'Fig. III, no other, detail being deemed necessary as cutting claylwith a wire is standard practice.

- The tile shown at- T3 is about to be trimmed by the wire W and. to prevent adhesionof the indenting. die must next be given a light coat of oil on both ends,'-this being accomplished by the felt covered rollers RI .and R2, which will be supplied with oil by known means, as needed. To carry the tile box I from position to position, it ismo-unted ona belt B, preferably of four or five ply rubber conveyor type, which will be suitably mounted, such as the diagrammatic mounting shown, in which the standards 5 and 5a are provided with shafts B and 6a, upon which are journalled the pulleys I and Ia carrying the belt B to which the tile box I is attached at spaced intervals.

In the interests of accurate registration of tile and indenting die, the upper reach of the belt will run over the table 9, which keeps it in the proper horizontal plane.

The tile will now be presumed to have reached the position T6, see Figs. I and II; one end has been trimmed by the wire and both ends have been oiled to prevent sticking when indented or end grooved. It passes the indenting dies, to be later described, and the tile box I is opened when it reaches T9, is upended at TH! and is slid ontothe conveyor 25 which runs alongside the belt B at the same speed.

We will now consider the indenting operation.

A sliding plate 30, see Figs. III, V and VII, is located inside the tile box I and is arranged to reciprocate, first to get out of the way of the wire W, the roller RI, and the roller R2, and finally to project equally on both sides of the tile box I. It is operable by the cam plate 32, working the roller 33. The cam plate begins just to the rear of position T3, Fig. I, ending at position T6.

The roller 33 is revoluble on the pin 34, journ'alle'd in the boxes 35 and 36, which latter are made rigid with the plate 30 by connections such as rivets 3'! and 38, see Fig, V where slots are provided for the plate reciprocation.

It is easy to follow the movement of the plate from the layout in Fig. III.

The lower end of the pin 34 is provided with another roller 39 that cooperates with the flat leaf spring 40, which yields to the roller 39 as the plate is sent into different positions as shown in Fig. III, tending always to return the sliding plate 30 to mid-position, where it is left as the end of the cam plate 32 is reached, see the left hand end of Fig. III, by virtue of a central curved pocket 40a in spring 40.

This mechanism has been described in the singular number but each .tile box I will be equipped with the same mechanism, hence they are plural in number but each works independently. It will be observed that the cam plate 32 begins and ends with the cam in central position ready to timely engage the roller 33.

The purpose of the sliding plate 30 isto time the tile indenting mechanism, so that the impress of the indenting die will be equal and opposite at each end of the tile. Both ends must be indented by compression at the same time.

The die 50, see Fig. VIII, is a metal block formed with a positive bead 50a, and as an essential structure the supporting plug 5022 which is I believe entirely new and without which a tile cannot be successfully end grooved; the plug 50b is smaller than the inside of the tile to provide room for clay displacement occasioned by indent ing the end groove; the plug being enough smaller than the inside of the tile to accommodate the clay displaced in impressing the groove. The bead is positive to the negative groove 5I. This tile is shown as a rectangular hollow tile but tile with central walls and more than one longitudinal hole are not excluded, merely requiring appropriate modification of the various mechanisms.

At the right hand end of Fig. IV, the plate 30 is shown extending equally on both sides of the tile box I and just after contacting the dies 59,

simultaneously at both ends of the tile box I, which is closed and has a trimmed and oiled green tile in it.

The top and bottom of the die 50 are supplied with cam rollers 53, which have moved to the left, from initial position shown by the dotted circle indicated vby the same numeral 53,

The die carriage 54 is mounted on slides 55, and springs 51B are compressed as it is moved to the left by the plate 30 when it will be forced into operating engagement with the green tile completely as the die 50 reaches the position shown in dotted outline, at the left of its full line position, by contact of the roller 53 against the pivoted angle cam plate 51.

Shortly after leaving the position shown dotted, the roller 53 falls off the end of the angle cam 51, being abruptly withdrawn from the tile by influence of the spring 58. The spring 56 then asserts its superiority over spring 58 and returns the die to its original position, by-passing the roller 53 underneath the angle cam 51, which yields to let it under, where it is in position for the next succeeding tile box that contacts it by its own plate 30.

The description has been of one end with its grooving die, only, but it will be understood that while the described operation has been taking place at one end of the tile box, an exactly equal but oppositely working set of mechanisms has been grooving the other end of the green tile.

The following is a" detailed description of the wheel type machine.

In the drawings, suitable mountings such as Illl, I02, I03 and IM, here shown to be in the form of pedestals, are provided with shaft bearings "Ha, IBM, IBM and Ma, in which are mounted the shafts I05 and I06.

The shaft I03 is broken away and will be presumed to be supplied withrotative power at proper speed and direction from a source not shown. r

Mounted on the shafts I05 and I06 are pulleys Ifl5a and Iota; and mounted on the pulleys is a heavy belt l-B'I, preferably of five or six ply canvas and rubber construction.

Attached to the belt at spaced intervals are tile boxes I' Ifl which are provided with an arcuate bottom portion H011, to which the belt I! is attached, here shown to be by rivets such as I Illa in Fig. XII.

The are of the bottom portion, Him, is provided for suitable conformation with the surface of the pulleys M5511 and Iota The tile box H0 is made to open on the hinge III by unlatching the latch HZa for the purpose of putting a green tile in, which is then latched in place as hereinafter explained, and for taking it out after the ends are impressed with the mortar groove, also explained more fully hereinafter.

The tile box is also hinged at one end to the bottom plate IIllb by the pivot pins H2 and H3, in such manner that it may be up-ended to discharge i-ts contents as shown at the lefthand top part of Fig. X. The contents will be dis charged onto a belt I I4, alongsidethe belt I81, running on the pulley 35a, at one end and on another pulley, not shown, some distance ahead of the lefthand end of the machine. The belt I serves to convey the indented green tile toward a point where they are dried preliminary to firing.

Rig-idly mounted on a suitable foundation, on each side of the belt I01, are two pedestals, H

and H6, see Fig. XI, and rotatably mounted on the pedestals are oppositely mounted spiders M1 and H8, which are pivoted, to the pedestals H5 and M6 by the pivots .l\l=5a'and 6a.

The spiders H1 and H8 are duplicates; except as with respect to the actuating arms A thereon; they are right and left. Each spider is provided with a plurality of. radial arms, Re, and

die members for indenting the tile ends, indicated by the numeral I25, common to all of the dies since they are alike.

The dies I25, are provided with a generally arcuate surface, which is composed of a metal support a, employing somewhat of the principle of a gear tooth, because it must roll into the hollow of a tile and support the inside of it while the groove is being swaged into the end of the green tile so that the tile will not crumble or spall. The necessities of the indenting process are very clearly shown in Fig. XI at the top center where l25a, is supporting the insidesurfaces of the green tile while the indenting die portion, 1251), as shown, is a bead that is a counterpart of the groove required.

Each tile box I I0 is equipped with an extension plate H00 and thehinged portion of the box is equipped with a latch Hlld that cooperates with the extension plate llfle to hold the box open during a part of the operation, which will be described.

Considering Fig. X. One tile box I I0 is shown in position directly over the vertical axis of the pulley l05a, which is the loading position. A green tile will be manually placed in the open box, so that the lefthand end is flush with the lefthand end of the box. The green tile are a trifle over length for subsequent trimmng to exact length by the tension wire T, shown in position for the purpose in Figs. IX and X, just to the left of the second box.

After placing the green tile in the box as described, the box is closed and latched as shown in the next succeeding position to the left; in the third position the tile has been trimmed and in the fourth position the tile is receiving the mortar grooves at both ends, as more clearly shown in Fig. XI.

After leaving the grooving position, the box is unlatched as shown, then the part that is pivotally hinged on the pivot pins H2 and H3 is upended as shown in the next two positions, the indented tile is deposited on the belt H4 and the pivotally hinged box portion, being restored toits normal position, traverses the reversely running reach of the belt I01, for repetition indefinitely.

The spiders are equipped with the curved arms A, that are contacted by the lugs Aa. The designs of the lugs, the curved actuating arms and cooperating spacing so that accurate timing can be had, is a very important matter. It has been carefully worked out and the proportions on the drawings, Fig. IX are reliable.

The arms A are of such length and position that when one arm A is about to be released by its lug Aa due to travel of the belt I to which the lugs Aa are securely attached in spaced relationship, then another arm A will be in position to be engaged by the next succeeding lug Aa, after the manner of successive engagement and release of gear teeth.

A plate I30 will be suitably supported under the center portion of the upper reach of the belt, to support the boxes H0 in proper alignment with the grooving dies as shown and described.

The reason the. spiders are run with contact of the tile boxes instead of timing gears, in step with, the belt driving means, is because invar-'- iably there will be some belt slippage which would ruin thetiming. Spacing the boxes on the rubber belt accuratetly enough for proper timing is believed impossible, due to belt stretch,

even temperature changes being suflicient to disrupt the orderly operation unless, as I have shown, each tile box times its own die.

With the structure I have shown and described, it is sufficient that the boxes be far enough apart. A metal link belt wears and gets longer and unless made of very expensive materials will be quite subject torust in a clay mill.

The speed of the pulleys IBM and Mia should be under the control of a clutch or a speed changer, until the operatives acquire the requisite skill in handling the tile into and out of the machine. 7 c

Having disclosed my invention so that anyone familiar with the art to which it appertains may make and use it, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A machine for end grooving hollow rectangular tile, comprising a movable carrier, rectangular tile boxes open at both ends spaced on said carrier, grooving dies movably mounted in cooperative relationship with said-carrier and said boxes and timed operating means for the dies efiective to bringthem into. and out of contact with tile carried in the boxes while the said boxes are in motion. 7

2. A machine for end grooving hollow rectangular tile, comprising a movable carrier, rectangular tile boxes closed on the sides and open at the ends spaced on said carrier and end grooving apparatus adjacent said carrier, said grooving apparatus being so positioned with respect to the carrier and boxes that the open ends of said boxes will be brought in alignment with said apparatus upon movement of the carrier whereby seriatirm to impress grooves in the exposed ends of the tile in said boxes.

3. A machine for end grooving hollow rectangul ar tile comprising a movable carrier, close fitting tile boxes open at both ends spaced on said carrier grooving dies and timed operating means effective to move the grooving dies into forcible contact with tile carried by the boxes through both ends thereof, the said dies having formed thereon a positive grooving bead and a plug support for the inside of the tile of similar section but smaller than the inside of the tile.

4; In a machine for upsetting mortar grooves in the end walls of green hollow tile, a box member that is adapted to contain a green tile in close conformity with its outside surfaces but leaving its ends uncovered, a belt member on which said box is mounted for horizontal movement, a sizing means for cutting a contained tile to length, embossed bead die members that include inside wall supporting means that are adapted to contact both ends of a tile simultaneously when it is contained in the box and interengaging parts on the die and the box to time the movement of the die with the box.

5. An end indenting machine for hollow tile, comprising a carrier member, means for transmitting linear movement to the carrier, a plurality of tile boxes spaced on the carrier that fit the external outline of a tile, oppositely mounted cam operated die members to impress groove making dies into the end wall surfaces of the tiles simultaneously as the tile boxes pass a selected point and transmissions to bring the dies into and out of contact with a tile under influence of power supplied from the carrier.

6. In a tile grooving machine, a belt mounted for generally horizontal movement of its upper reach, "a, plurality of tile boxes spaced on said belt, a grooving die of the character described that is mounted for horizontal and reciprocating movement to indent tile carried in the boxes and cooperative transmissions in part carried by each tile box that are efiective to energize the end grooving means in timed relationship to the travel of the tile box.

'7. In an end mortar grooving machine for hollow tile, a belt member, means for moving the belt member, tile boxes in spaced position on the belt member that are adapted to contain green hollow tile, end grooving dies mounted to successively contact the ends of tile carried in the tile boxes at both ends simultaneously to impress a mortar groove into the end walls of carried green tile, means for interengaging and timing the dies with each tile box seriatim and cam means for moving the dies into and out of contact with carried green tile.

8. The combination according to claim 7 and including a cutting wire positioned to out carried green tile to a predetermined length before they are contacted by end grooving means.

9. A grooving die for a tile machine comprising a die member provided with an embossed groove making bead in combination with a support for the inside of a green tile being grooved, comprising a rectangular block member that is smaller than the rectangular opening in a green tile, to support the inside of the tile, open end tile box means for supporting the outside of the tile While being grooved and means for bringing the die and block into and out of contact with a green tile to impress a groove in its end walls.

10. In a tile indenting machine of the charracter described, a movable belt member, means for moving the belt in a straight line, a plurality of tile boxes attached to said belt at spaced intervals, indenting dies mounted to move into and out of engagement with carried tile to indent the tile as they pass a selected zone and a timing arrangement for bringing the dies timely into engagement with the contents of a tile box that is operated by contact of a part carried by the belt with a part made rigid with the die mountmg.

11. In a machine for upsetting a mortar groove in the end walls of a hollow green tile, an end grooving die that is provided with embossed groove beads that are positive to the grooves required and that includes an inside wall support member smaller than the inside of the tile positioned to extend into a tile beyond the influence of the beads, tosupport and shape material displaced by the grooving beads in combination with outside wall support tile boxes that prevent displaced material from going outwardly.

JAMES D. THOMPSON. 

